The training ground fell silent as Rose and Lily stepped into the center of the ring. A faint breeze rustled the surrounding trees, carrying the scent of earth and pine, but all attention remained locked on the two she-wolves standing opposite each other.
Rose rolled her shoulders, exhaling sharply as she settled into a fighting stance. Her muscles tensed with anticipation, her amber eyes locked onto Lily's. Across from her, Lily stood poised and composed, her expression unreadable. Unlike Rose, there was no nervous energy in her stance—just pure, effortless confidence.
Phillip stepped forward, his voice firm. "Ready?"
Both girls gave a sharp nod.
"Begin!"
Lily moved first, a blur of motion as she closed the distance between them. Rose barely had time to react before Lily's fist shot toward her ribs. Instinct took over—she twisted, dodging just in time, but Lily was relentless. A sharp kick followed, aimed at her knee.
Rose barely managed to sidestep, but the force of the wind against her leg told her how close it had been.
She gritted her teeth and surged forward, feinting left before driving a punch toward Lily's side. It was a well-timed strike, one that could have landed—if Lily hadn't seen right through it.
With surgical precision, Lily sidestepped, snatching Rose's wrist mid-motion and twisting it behind her back in a single fluid movement.
A pained grunt escaped Rose's lips.
"Too slow," Lily murmured, tightening her grip just enough to make her point.
The watching pack members murmured, eyes flickering between the two.
But Rose wasn't finished.
She stomped on Lily's foot, forcing her to loosen her hold just enough for Rose to wrench herself free. Twisting, she pivoted on her heel and launched a kick toward Lily's stomach.
This time, it connected.
Lily stumbled back a few steps, her smirk fading as she wiped the corner of her mouth with the back of her hand.
The crowd murmured, a few approving nods exchanged. But Lily simply straightened, rolling her shoulders like she'd barely felt the impact.
"Not bad," she admitted. Then her smirk returned—sharp, knowing. "But not good enough."
Before Rose could react, Lily exploded forward, her speed almost unnatural. She faked a right hook, baiting Rose into raising her guard, before pivoting low and sweeping her legs out from under her.
Rose barely had time to register the attack before the ground slammed against her back, knocking the breath from her lungs. Dust billowed up around her as she gasped for air.
Lily didn't hesitate.
In a blink, she was on top of her, pinning her to the ground with a knee pressed firmly against her chest.
"Yield." The command was calm, absolute.
Rose thrashed, trying to push Lily off, but her grip was unyielding. After a few frustrating seconds, Rose let out a sharp breath. "Fine. I yield."
Phillip stepped forward. "Winner—Lily."
A few scattered claps sounded from the audience, but most had already turned their attention to the next match. Lily stood, extending a hand toward Rose.
For a moment, Rose hesitated, her pride warring with exhaustion. Then, with a resigned sigh, she took it, letting Lily help her to her feet.
"You're fast," Rose muttered, rubbing her sore wrist.
Lily smirked. "You're not bad yourself. Just… predictable."
Rose rolled her eyes but didn't argue.
As they stepped away from the ring, I watched closely, taking mental notes. Lily was precise, strategic—everything a trained fighter should be. But more importantly, she was exactly the kind of opponent I might have to face soon.
And I had no intention of losing.
After Rose's fight, a few other matches took place before it was finally my turn.
Phillip stepped forward, his voice cutting through the murmurs of the crowd. "Next match—Lisa versus the new girl."
I took a steady breath, stepping into the ring. "Rexxona," I corrected.
Phillip barely acknowledged it. "Alright, Rexxona. This is an evaluation match—to see if you belong here."
I knew it. This was his way of testing me, maybe even setting me up to fail. The entire arena was focused on us, watching closely. They all knew Lisa, but they didn't know me. That was my advantage, and I intended to use it.
From the crowd, I heard Rose cheering for me, her voice breaking through the tension. It fueled something inside me—a reminder that at least someone was on my side.
Lisa approached, her scowl turning into a smirk. "Hope you fight better than you look, new girl," she taunted, rolling her shoulders as she got into position.
I ignored her words, shifting into my own stance. From the corner of my eye, I noticed Aries moving from where he'd been sitting. He was standing now, watching closely.
Before I could process the thought further, the fight began.